The present invention relates generally to fuel dispensers and, more particularly, to an antenna and reflector arrangement for a fuel dispenser to redirect a directive radiation pattern over a desired portion of a fueling position associated with the dispenser.
In recent years, traditional gasoline pumps and service stations have evolved into elaborate point-of-sale (POS) devices having sophisticated control electronics and user interfaces with large displays and touch-pads or screens. The dispensers include various types of payment means, such as card readers, to expedite and further enhance fueling transactions. A customer is not limited to the purchase of fuel at the dispenser. More recent dispensers allow the customer to purchase services, such as car washes, and goods, such as fast food or convenience store products at the dispenser. Once purchased, the customer need only pick up the goods and services at the station store or the outlet of a vending machine.
Remote transaction systems have evolved wherein the fuel dispenser is adapted to communicate with various types of remote communication devices, such as transponders, to provide various types of identification and account information to the fuel dispenser automatically. These remote transaction systems require multiple antennas to communicate with transponders or like remote communications units. Numerous antennas are necessary to provide directive radiation patterns over various parts of the same fueling position, as well as to transmit and receive signals to and from the transponders. Given the increase in the amount of electronics and hardware in today's smaller dispenser housings, there is often insufficient vertical area available to mount antennas. Furthermore, there is a limited number of acceptable mounting locations inside a dispenser providing an unobstructed path to the fueling position outside the housing. Many of these locations are unsuitable due to wiring and mounting problems.
Thus, there is a need for a way to overcome the difficulties in mounting numerous antennas in a limited space within the fuel dispenser and still provide a desired directive radiation pattern, or lobe, over the fueling position.